2400
by HeiHeiTstesetyun
Summary: It's only a number, after all. Probably one of the most important numbers they would ever earn, but still, only a number. SAT-talia! EstoniaXHungary, ArmeniaXFinland, and IrelandXScotland. Yaoi & hetero!


2400

Tino- Finland

Eileen- Scotland

Aeden- Ireland

Alexianos- Armenia

Eduard- Estonia

Elizaveta- Hungary

NOTE: The SAT scores are not based on how intelligent I feel people from the countries represented are. They are based on the personalities of the characters described, and somewhat on the education systems within each country.

-Tino's Point of View-

"Are you guys ready?" Alexianos tapped the bright orange "Speaker Phone" button on the phone and waited for five affirmative nods. I gave my consent with the bob of a head, and the rest of our group did so as well.

We were nervous. Alex's hand shook in mine; Aeden bit his nails as Eileen, normally so vivacious, solemnly rubbed his back. Even Elizaveta seemed worried, as Eduard hugged her in reassurance. SAT scores were serious business.

None of us wanted to admit this, even to ourselves- after all, we'd been friends for years- but all of us wanted the highest score. The one that proved the winner's intellect, fortitude, and drive.

Maybe it was a bad idea. Three couples, six friends; together hearing some of the most important numbers in their lives, all scored out of an elusive 2,400. _Elusive_, a vocabulary word we'd been forced to write down many a time, along with thousands of others.

But we could handle it. There was not one of us in this room that didn't want the best for his or her friends. We would have to hide our ecstasy or dejection.

-Aeden's Point of View-

"Who first?" I asked, trying not to allow my voice to shake. So much was resting on this score. Perhaps not nearly as much as with the Leaving Certs back home, but I still felt like steel butterflies were tearing my stomach lining apart. I wasn't going to get the highest grade, of course- Tino, Eduard, Elizaveta, and Alexianos had all scored over a hundred points higher than I did on the practice exams- but I could still dream of a score above 2,000, couldn't I?

"I want to get it over with, if that's okay." Eduard shivered, even though it was nearly 80 degrees Fahrenheit in Tino's room, and my Estonian friend was wearing a long-sleeved shirt.

"Sure. Alex, you do the dialing." We'd designated Alexianos to dial for us, since the rest of us were far too afraid. But even Alex shook, and his teeth chattered.

Alexianos tapped in the numbers, and we awaited College Board's verdict. After entering a few more codes, a female voice rang out, clear as day.

"Eduard von Bock: You scored 2,150 points total. Your writing score is 700 points. Your critical reading score is 690 points. Your math score is 760 points."

-Eduard's Point of View-

My friends all cheered for me as my score was read aloud. I'd passed my target of 2,100, and my heart thrilled within my chest. Elizaveta leaned over to kiss me on the cheek, and I squeezed her hand. All was well, at least for me. I still felt scared for my friends, but I felt significantly more relaxed. My parents would be pleased, and I was well within the range of the schools I liked.

"Elizaveta, you next?" I suggested, and my girlfriend nodded. She nervously hugged her legs and rocked back and forth slowly.

Alex dialed in the number again, and soon we all heard the familiar voice:

"Elizaveta Hedervary:" I could hear Eli's breath catch within her throat, "You scored 2,210 points total. Your writing score is 770 points. Your critical reading score is 730 points. Your math score is 710 points."

She burst into nervous laughter as we eagerly congratulated her, and quickly caught her breath.

"I can't tell you all how relieved I am!" She hugged me tightly. "Me and you made it," she whispered. I grinned, kissing her again and wrapping her in a tight hug. Yes, all was well.

-Eileen's Point of View-

"Can Aeden go next?" I asked. "I think he'll sweat himself to death if he waits a minute longer."

My boyfriend smiled nervously. "It would be nice to hear it."

Alex nodded. The poor lout was visibly trembling right then, and I knew a lot rested on getting a top score for him. He and his parents had left Armenia for his education, after all. He put a lot of pressure on himself to do well because of this.

And me? I was just hoping for a 2,000. If I got that, I'd be golden! If not…well, at least I'd tried.

I'd worked hard for my score, though. Hopefully, my perseverance had paid off.

But I had to think good thoughts for Aeden. The poor guy's fingers were twitching violently, and I felt like he would have a spontaneous seizure at any moment. I prayed for him quietly. I knew he had his rosary in his pocket and was mentally crossing himself a thousand times.

"Aeden O'Doherty: You scored 2,120 points total. Your composite score…"

My boyfriend was in shock. Like me, he was just hoping to score over 2,000. The fact that he made it in the 2,100 range came as a complete surprise. I excitedly whooped for him, and he embraced me as though he were about to pass out on my collar bone. I was happy for him, truly, but to be honest, I wanted to know my score desperately.

"Eileen next?" Tino asked, winking at me. I winked back. What would I do without that lovely, gay Finnish man?

"Bring it on!" I challenged, laughing. The others looked at me with amusement at my calm demeanor, but only Aeden could understand how worried I truly was. Sure, I knew I would score the lowest in the group, but that didn't mean I wasn't smart. I wanted to reach my goal just as badly as they did.

"Eileen Fitzhugh: you scored 2,120 points total…" I gaped. I scored over a 2,100? I quickly realized that Aeden and I got the same score and nearly jumped for joy. How wonderful it was! My friends hugged me, overjoyed. I'd never expected to get in the 2,100 club, but I'd earned every point. Ah, my family would be so pleased, and my score was good enough to get into UCLA!

Elizaveta, Eduard, Aeden, and I breathed a collective sigh of relief. Only two remained.

-Alexianos' Point of View-

Tino and I glanced at each other nervously. "You next, jan?" I asked, draping my arm over his shoulder. He nodded and kneaded a headache from his temples. I punched in his number, keeping him close to me. I knew how worried he was- he was _Finnish_, for God's sake! But still, relief would come soon enough. I was confident that he did well. That I scored just as highly? Not so much.

"Tino Väinämöinen…"

"Jumalauta," he whispered.

"…You scored 2,240 points total. Your writing score is 780 points. Your critical reading score is 680 points. Your math score is 780 points."

I kissed his cheek, and he pecked me on the lips in return. In modesty befitting a Finn, he blushed, but he grinned nonetheless. His eyes were shining, and he laughed joyfully. I hugged him, happy to witness one of the proudest moments of his life.

"Congratulations, kulta," I praised, though my own stomach ached with fear. I needed to know my score as quickly as possible.

"I guess it's my turn." I smiled, trying to appear calm. My friends, pleased with their scores, offered me reassuring smiles and words of encouragement.

"I'll do the numbers for you, jan." Tino took the phone from me, smiling sympathetically. I breathed a sigh of relief. I needed his luck.

The phone seemed to ring for hours, but the voice came to cause another pain to shoot through my stomach. It was the most uncomfortable thing I'd ever experienced…even more so than when I got lost in a rather risqué fantasy involving Tino and me during church.

"Alexianos Kirzigian: You scored 2,300 points total…"

"Oh my God," I whispered, willing myself not to cry. It was one of the most wonderful things I had ever heard. The fruits of my labor had finally ripened. I turned away and wiped the tears from my eyes quickly, beaming at my friends. Tino nearly attacked me with a hug, mussing my hair playfully.

"What is this sorcery!" Eileen cried, laughing. She rushed over to hug me, and my other friends quickly followed.

We'd done it. As laughter quickly turned to tears for us all, we'd realized that so much emotion- so much overwhelming happiness- couldn't have come from nearly a number. The work that went into it was surely a factor…

But the friends that supported it- the friends that built it up and assuaged its fears- those were what truly mattered.

I may as well have gotten a 2400.

A/N: Welp, I've been at SAT prep all break, so of course, I had to write this. I go to Elite, which is pretty hardcore. I don't mean to stereotype, but Elite is 95% South Korean, which means that the people there are geniuses. I'm the only white person in the advanced there. xD But I did get the highest practice score on Wednesday, whoo! I'm shooting for a 2,200, and I really hope I get it. I still need to improve my math score, though. ;_; Wish me luck! :D

I was originally going to give Tino the top score, since Finland has the best education system in the world (And we Finnish people are insane about grades. There are three Finnish girls at my school- two other girls and me- and we all study our asses off. xD), but I love Alexianos way too much, and he's flipping brilliant in my headcanon. :D


End file.
